Family Matters
by TammyDevil666
Summary: Buffy is engaged and just graduated from college, but one thing has always been missing in her life. She's adopted and wants to find her birth mother. Buffy finds her in Sunnydale, but when she arrives, gets a lot more than she was expecting. Spuffy!
1. Chapter 1

This was just an idea that came to me out of nowhere and figured I would try writing it. I'm really hoping it hasn't exactly been done before. It won't be very long, only about fourteen chapters. I make things a bit too easy in the beginning, but that's what I was going for. Thanks to Devin, Jen, and Dusty273 for their help with this one. Any comments would really be appreciated. Hope you guys like it!

**Chapter 1**

"Can you believe it, Buffy? We finally graduated from college, those four years felt like an eternity."

The blonde couldn't help agreeing with her excited friend. "I know what you mean, Willow. I'm so relieved to never have to deal with Professor Walsh again. That woman is beyond scary."

Willow cringed at the thought of their former Psychology Professor, then decided to change the subject. "So, what are your plans for the summer?"

Buffy didn't even need to hesitate with her answer. "I think I want to look for my mom. I told myself that I wouldn't bother to find her until I'm old enough, and I think now's that time."

Willow nodded and knew how much her friend wanted to find her birth mother, ever since her parents revealed that she was adopted at the age of thirteen. "How do you think Riley will take it?"

Buffy shrugged. "He knows how much this means to me. If we're going to be married, he has to accept that this is what I want to do."

Willow had nothing to say to that. None of their friends thought Riley Finn was the right choice for Buffy. He basically lived in the fifties and still thought that all women should be stuck at home with the kids, while the men went out to work. She didn't understand how Buffy could never see it, but no one wanted to tell her what they really thought of her fiancé. It would only upset her, anyway. She had to find out on her own.

* * *

"I don't understand why you need to do this, Buffy. You already have two parents that love you. I don't know why you need to go look for the woman that abandoned you at birth. You will only get disappointed." 

Buffy rolled her eyes for what felt like the millionth time. "We've already been through this, Riley. I do love my parents and I know they love me, but I've always wanted to find out where I came from. This woman would have all of the answers. I want to get a chance to meet her. I have a right to know why she gave me up, even if finding out means I might get disappointed. I'm not a little kid anymore. I can handle some disappointment. We're engaged to be married next year. I was hoping you would understand how important this is to me."

Riley let out a long sigh and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't mean to be difficult about this. I'm just going to miss you if you go away. I like having you around all of the time. Besides, I don't want you to get hurt. It makes me hurt, too."

Buffy pressed her lips to his. It was an incredibly corny thing to say, but he could be sweet sometimes. "I shouldn't be gone long. If I find her, I just plan on asking her a few questions. She might not even want me to stick around for very long. I doubt the woman that gave me up for adoption would want me suddenly invading her life. I'll be back before you know it, and then we can continue to plan our wedding."

He smiled. "That sounds good to me."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, sweetheart? You can always change your mind, there's no pressure." 

Buffy smiled at the older woman, finding out the truth that she wasn't her real mom didn't change the fact that Buffy would always consider Jenny to be her mother. "I told you not to worry, Mom. I'm going to be fine."

She nodded and felt tears prick her eyes. "I know you are. I just worry about you, but I suppose I have to let you grow up one of these days. I just wish it didn't have to be now. Well, here's the address that I got from the adoption agency. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

Buffy took a deep breath and glanced down at the paper that was now in her hands. "She lives in Sunnydale? That's only two hours away. I can't believe my birth mother was so close to me all this time."

Jenny ran her fingers through Buffy's hair like she used to when she was a child. "I want you to be careful, honey. Don't talk to strangers, don't drink the water, and you can come home as soon as you want. You can call me in the middle of the night to pick you up and I'll do it."

"Dear lord, Jenny. The girl is nervous enough as it is, you're not making her feel any better."

She glared at her husband. "I only want what's best for her, Rupert."

Buffy loved both of her parents and was very grateful that they took her into their home. From the story that her mother told her, they weren't able to have children. Adoption was the only choice they would have considered. Her father was a librarian at UCLA and her mother a Computer Science teacher. They met and fell in love when Jenny took a vacation to London, where Rupert was living at the time. He was born there and never expected to fall head over heels for an American woman, one that was his complete opposite. Buffy knew that her father wouldn't have changed that decision for anything in the world. They both got job offers in Los Angeles and relocated there. It was then that they decided to adopt a child and fell in love with Buffy at first sight. Her father was a lot less stuffy after she came into the picture and always complained about how Rupert was too pompous of a name, so he then started to have everyone just call him by his last name, Giles. Buffy came out of her reverie and decided to jump into the conversation before more arguing could be done. "I know you both want what's best for me, but I'll be okay. I shouldn't be gone for too long," she explained and gave her mother a quick hug, then did the same with her father. "You be good, Daddy."

He tried to keep the tears out of his eyes, but knew that it was hopeless. "Of course, dear. You just be careful like your mother said. Don't forget to call us when you arrive."

Buffy nodded. "I won't. All right, I have to get going if I want to catch my bus."

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?"

"That's okay, Mom. I need to do this on my own. Willow offered to drive me to the bus station. Don't worry, I'll see you guys soon," she told them, then grabbed the few belongings that she was taking and made her way out of the house.

Jenny and Giles watched their only daughter walk away, praying that everything would work out for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Buffy arrived in Sunnydale a couple of hours later. After getting situated at the hotel and calling her parents to let them know that she got there safely, she took a cab to the home of Joyce Summers. Buffy stared at the house for a moment, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. An older, blonde woman appeared after a few seconds. She gave Buffy a kind smile.

"Can I help you?"

Buffy's mouth was suddenly dry and just knew that she was looking at her birth mother. She cleared her throat and returned the smile. "Hi, my name's Buffy Giles. I don't mean to just show up like this, but I think I'm your daughter." She cringed at just blurting it out like that, but didn't know what else to say.

Joyce was stunned, but stepped back a little. "Would you like to come in?"

Buffy nodded and entered the house, surprised that the woman didn't slam the door in her face.

They headed into the kitchen, where Joyce motioned for Buffy to take a seat at the table.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?"

Buffy shook her head. "That's okay; I really just came here to talk. I don't want anything from you, that's not what this is about. I just want some explanations. I have a lot of questions, one being why you decided to put me up for adoption. I have the birth certificate if you need actual proof. I wouldn't want you to think I'm some crazy person that would just make all of this up."

Joyce took in a long breath and sat down across from her. "I don't think that will be necessary. I trust you, and you look so much like me when I was your age," she said with a small smile.

Buffy was glad to finally be getting somewhere, but was interrupted from asking anymore questions at the arrival of a small child being carried on the back of an older man.

"I think I'm getting too old for this," he said, then noticed that his wife wasn't alone.

"Hank, this is Buffy. We have a lot of talking to do. Could you watch the kids and make sure they all get cleaned up for dinner?"

He nodded and left the kitchen.

Buffy watched him go, then turned back to Joyce. "Is he my dad?"

Joyce shook her head. "I got married to Hank years after I met your father. I knew him in high school. He was the popular boy that all the girls were crazy for, so you could imagine my surprise when he chose me. We were together for three months when I realized that I was pregnant. I was only sixteen-years-old. Mark was a year older than me and had a lot of plans for when he graduated high school, plans that definitely didn't involve a baby. He wasn't very happy when I told him and wanted me to get rid of you, but I couldn't do that. I was so young and not ready for any of the responsibility of having a child, but I decided to keep you. My parents were furious and talked about disowning me if I went through with it, so I decided that adoption would be the best choice. I knew that I wouldn't have been able to take care of you, but I had hope that you would be given to a nice family. That couple I met was delightful, how did things turn out with them?"

Buffy wiped her eyes, not realizing that she was crying. "They're great, I couldn't have asked for better parents."

Joyce smiled in relief. "That's very good to hear. I took one look at you after you were born and knew that giving you up would be the hardest decision of my life, but I didn't have any other options back then. Your father left me months before that, not wanting anything to do with me or a baby. I haven't heard from him since. It was years later that I met and fell in love with Hank. He's a wonderful man and he gave me three, beautiful children. He was supportive through every one of my pregnancies and was always there when I delivered."

Buffy nodded and looked away from Joyce's gaze. She didn't realize that her birth mother would have had a whole new family, one that she wasn't a part of. She had her own family now, but it still hurt to think about. She glanced back up at her, needing to know one more thing. "Does he know about me?"

"I told him that I had another child in our first year together. I didn't want any secrets between us. It was hard for him at first, but he was supportive of my decision. Would you like to be introduced to the rest of the family? I have two girls and a boy; they would be your brother and sisters."

Buffy suddenly perked up at the thought of having siblings. She didn't think about that before. "I would like that."

Joyce smiled and stood up.

Buffy did the same, then followed her into the living room. She saw three children watching TV with their father, who looked up once they walked in.

Joyce cleared her throat to get all of their attention. "This is Buffy, she's my daughter." She noticed their eyes widen, but continued before anyone could say anything. "We talked about Mommy having another child before any of you were born. Well, this is her. She decided to visit for a little while."

Buffy felt nervous under their stares.

Joyce finished the introductions by pointing to each one of them. "This is Hank, my husband. This is my oldest, Connor, Dawn, and my youngest, Samantha."

Buffy gave a small smile and wave. "It's nice to meet all of you."

The little girl was the first one to speak up. "I like to be called Sam. Mommy doesn't like it, but Samantha is too girly," she said with distaste.

Hank ruffled his daughter's hair. "You are a girl, pumpkin."

She scrunched up her nose. "That's not what Jimmy says in class. He says I look like a boy, but he's a big poop head."

"That Jimmy is a bad seed. I wouldn't listen to anything he has to say."

Buffy smiled at the banter between father and daughter. It reminded her of times when she was younger and would always have lame arguments with her dad.

Samantha turned a smile on her mother. "Can I go play at Uncle Spike's house? He has the new Playstation and said we could come over whenever we like."

Joyce nodded. "That's fine, but I don't want you going alone."

Sam gave her sister the puppy dog eyes, which she knew no one could resist.

Dawn rolled her eyes in response. "Fine, I'll take her." She got off of the couch and grabbed her little sister's hand, then left the house.

Connor headed up to his room, without saying anything.

Hank made his way out to the backyard after giving Buffy a smile, which made her feel a little more at ease.

"Spike is the next door neighbor. He's not really their uncle, but the kids love to call him that. He's practically a member of the family," Joyce explained.

Buffy nodded and reached into her purse. "I don't know if you're interested, but I brought my photo album with me. It has a lot of pictures of me growing up. I figured maybe you would want to see them."

Joyce smiled and took the album from her. "That would mean a lot to me."

Buffy smiled in return, pleased that everything seemed to be going well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"You were such a beautiful baby. I always thought so, and you've gotten even more beautiful through the years."

Buffy smiled at the compliment and put her photo album back into her purse, after letting Joyce keep one of the pictures that she liked so much. Buffy had copies of it, anyway.

Joyce glanced at the clock. "I suppose it's time to get the girls, dinner will be ready soon."

"I can go get them for you," Buffy claimed suddenly.

Joyce smiled in return. "I would really appreciate that. Spike's house is the one on the right of us."

Buffy nodded and stood up, making her way out the back door and over to the neighbor's house. She mainly offered to get the girls because she needed some fresh air. Everything was going a lot better than she expected, but it was still overwhelming. Buffy found the right house and knocked on the door, waiting a second until someone opened it. When she got a good look at the man that was now standing there, her jaw nearly dropped. "William?"

His eyes widened at the sight of her. "Buffy?"

The girls then came running out of the house, putting anything else he would have said on hold.

Buffy smiled at them, even though she was still shocked. "Your mother wanted you home for dinner."

"Thanks for letting us play, Uncle Spike," Sam commented.

He smiled at the child that he was so fond of. "Anytime, bit."

Dawn took her hand and they headed back to their house.

Buffy met his eyes again once they were gone. "Spike?"

"It's a nickname. Would you like to come in?"

Buffy thought about it. "Okay, but only for a little while. I should be getting back soon."

He nodded and let her into the house, closing the door behind her. "How do you know Joyce?"

Buffy wondered if she should tell him the truth, but figured there would be no harm in it. "She's actually my mother."

Spike was stunned and took a seat on the couch in the living room.

Buffy sat down beside him. "You know how I talked about finding my birth mother one day. Well, I finally found her here. I had no idea that she was living in Sunnydale. Come to think of it, I didn't even know you were here. I thought you moved back to London to live with your father after high school."

"I did for a few months, but it didn't exactly work out. My mum used to love visiting here when she was a kid, so she found this nice place and I've been here for the last few years. Are you still living in Los Angeles?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I just graduated from college. I was starting to think that I would never get out of there."

He smiled. "Right, I know how you're not a fan of school. I'm still in my last year, the semester started later for me. I go to UC Sunnydale, it's not so bad."

"Why did we lose touch, Will? We promised that wouldn't happen."

Spike ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know, love. I guess other things just got in the way. My mum has been sick lately. When I'm not in school, I spend most of my time caring for her."

Buffy placed her hand over his. "I hope it's nothing too serious."

A sparkling jewel on her finger caught his attention. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order."

Buffy blushed and pulled her hand away.

"So, who's the lucky bloke?" he wondered.

"His name is Riley; we met in my sophomore year."

Spike forced a smile on his face. "That's great, I'm happy for you. When's the big day?"

"Not for another year, we still have a lot of planning to do. Is there anyone special in your life?"

Spike was about to respond, but didn't get the chance when an agitated blonde barged into the house. He cursed himself for not remembering to lock the door; she never made a habit of knocking.

"Blondie Bear, who the hell is this?"

"Bloody hell," he mumbled.

Buffy looked at him in amusement. "Blondie Bear? Is there any other nicknames I should know about?"

He shook his head. "That's one that I never want to catch on. This is an old friend of mine, Harmony. She's just visiting."

"Is she going to be staying long? You promised to take me out tonight," she said with a pout.

Spike rolled his eyes. "I never promised that, but we'll talk later. My mum needs me home tonight, and I have some catching up to do with Buffy."

Harmony scrunched up her nose. "What kind of name is Buffy? Whatever, just call me later," she said and moved over to his side, planting a kiss on his cheek. She gave Buffy one more look, then left the house.

Buffy noticed the embarrassed expression on his face. "Well, I guess that answered my question."

He groaned. "It's not what you think. She's not really my girlfriend. I've tried to break up with the bint for weeks now; she's just not getting the hint."

Buffy held her hands up. "Hey, it's none of my business. She just doesn't seem like your type. In fact, she reminds me of those bitchy cheerleaders that used to annoy you in high school. You never would have given them the time of day."

Spike was saved from having to answer by his mother's voice. "William, is that trollop gone yet? I could hear her all the way in my room. I honestly don't know why you put up with that horrible girl."

Buffy and Spike exchanged looks with each other, then burst out laughing.

"She's gone now, Mum. Why don't you come out here for a moment? I have a surprise for you."

An older woman then entered the living room, her eyes bulging at the sight of the girl sitting with her son. "Buffy? My dear girl, is that you?"

She smiled and stood up; giving the woman a hug. "It's good to see you, Anne."

Spike smiled when he saw how happy seeing Buffy again made his mother. She always did have a soft spot for the girl, and she wasn't the only one.

Anne pulled away and brushed some hair out of Buffy's face. "My lord, you have gotten so gorgeous. Isn't she gorgeous, William?"

He blushed a little, which wasn't something that he did often. "She's always gorgeous, Mum."

It was Buffy's turn to blush, then she immediately got into the story of Joyce being her birth mother since Anne wondered why she was in town.

"Good heavens, I don't know why I never noticed the resemblance before. You do look just like Joyce. She's such a wonderful woman."

Buffy agreed. "Yeah, she is. This trip is turning out a lot better than I expected. It was really great to see you guys again, but I should head back to the house now. I wouldn't want them to think anything happened to me."

Anne gave her another hug. "Don't you forget to visit us again before you go back to Los Angeles, all right?"

Buffy nodded and pulled out of the embrace. "I'll definitely do that."

Spike gave her a hug as well, loving the feel of her in his arms. He hated to pull away, but knew that he couldn't hold her forever.

Buffy graced them both with one more smile before leaving the house.

Anne watched her go, then turned to her son. "You still love her, don't you?"

Spike let out a long sigh. "I never stopped, but she's engaged now. I only care about her happiness."

Anne loved that about her son. He always put everyone ahead of himself, but she had hope that they would definitely be seeing a lot more of Buffy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Well, it must be a small world. You say that you and Spike were friends in high school?"

Buffy nodded and took a sip of the coffee that Joyce offered to her. "I have to say that he was the last person I expected to see here. Do you know where he got that ridiculous nickname? I suppose it would go with his new image. I'm surprised I was even able to recognize him."

Joyce smiled. "I can't say that I do. He doesn't talk about it much, but I still like to call him William every now and then. He only really tolerates it from me and his mother."

"He's just going to have to deal because there's no way I'm calling him Spike," Buffy claimed, scrunching up her nose.

Joyce shook her head, hiding a smile behind her coffee mug. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you continued to use his given name." She placed her cup down when an idea hit her. "Why don't you stay with us for a bit? It'll be cheaper than a hotel and we can get to know each other better. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Buffy wasn't expecting that. "I wouldn't really want to impose. I'm not even sure how long I plan on staying."

"You could stay as long as you want, it's really no imposition. I can have Hank drop you off at the hotel to get your stuff. I noticed that you didn't drive here."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, me and driving really don't go well together. That would be nice, if it's no trouble."

Joyce graced her with another smile. "It would be no trouble at all."

* * *

Buffy called Riley as soon as she was situated in the Summers guest room, already feeling comfortable there. She heard a few rings before he finally picked up.

"Hey, sweetheart. I was waiting for your call."

Buffy smiled once she heard her fiancé's voice on the other line. "Sorry it wasn't sooner, a lot more happened than I thought. Joyce is wonderful; I wasn't expecting for her to be this kind. She offered to let me stay at her house and everything. I have two little sisters and a brother; I don't know why I didn't think about her having kids. I never imagined having siblings; I've been an only child for so long."

Riley let out a yawn, but tried to focus on the conversation. "That's nice, honey. It has been over twenty years; you shouldn't have expected that she didn't have her own life. I hope you're not imposing on that family."

Buffy frowned into the receiver. "She offered to let me stay, it's not like I just invited myself. And they're my family now, too."

Riley nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "I know that, but don't forget that you have a family here that misses you. How long are you planning to stay there?"

Buffy sighed. "I don't really know. It was supposed to only be for the weekend, but I wasn't expecting any of this. She actually wants to get to know me; this may be the only chance I get. I'll call you when I know for sure. Oh, I forgot to tell you. William is their next door neighbor. You don't know how shocked I was to see him again."

Riley sat up in bed, suddenly more interested. "William? That geek you hung out with in high school?"

Buffy felt anger at his words, but tried to keep her voice down. "He's not a geek, Riley. Besides, he's really changed since high school. I have a chance to get to know my mother and William again; I'm going to take advantage of that while I can. Anyway, I should probably go now. It's pretty late; I just wanted you to know that I'm okay. I miss you."

He smiled. "I miss you, too. I'm sure you'll be back in no time, then we can continue to plan our wedding. Sweet dreams, babe."

Buffy wondered why he seemed to be rushing her all of a sudden. "Goodnight, Riley," she said, but he hung up before she could finish.

* * *

Riley clicked his phone shut and lay back in bed, staring up at the ceiling. A feminine arm draped over his chest and a soft voice purred in his ear.

"Who was that, baby?"

He just shook his head and snuggled up closer to her. "It was no one, Sandy. Just go back to sleep."

She nodded and did just that.

Riley ran his fingers down her back, then drifted off into slumber.

* * *

Buffy wiped the sleep from her eyes the next morning as she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. She stopped abruptly at the sight of William sitting at the table with Joyce, and pulled her robe tighter around her body in embarrassment.

"I should probably put some clothes on. I forgot that I'm not in my house."

Spike grinned. "Don't worry about it, love. I've seen you in less."

She smacked him on the arm and laughed at their familiar antics, then turned to a surprised Joyce. "He means a bathing suit; we used to go swimming in my pool all the time."

Joyce nodded and had a feeling it was something like that. "Well, I think it's time to wake up the rest of the bunch. I'll leave you two alone to talk," she said, then headed out of the kitchen.

Buffy suddenly felt nervous being so close to her old best friend again, but he smiled to put her at ease.

"I don't bite, Buffy. I'm still the same bloke, just a little different on the outside."

She nodded. "I know that, I just never expected to see you again. It'll take some getting used to."

He nodded as well. "I guess we should make the best of your time here, then. There's a club not that far from here called the Bronze. I was going to meet a few friends there tonight; you're welcome to come with me."

Buffy thought about it. "Yeah, I would like to see more of this town. If you're sure that you wouldn't mind me tagging along."

Spike shook his head. "I don't mind at all, the more the merrier." He tried to not show how excited he really was that she agreed to come out with him. He finally had a chance to spend time with his dream girl again, and he wasn't going to waste a second. Spike knew that it was bound to end in heartache since she was engaged to be married, but a part of him couldn't care less. Being around Buffy again was the only thing that mattered.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Spike entered the Bronze later that night, with Buffy at his side. He kept his arm around her as to not lose her in the crowd, until they finally reached his usual table. He smiled at his mates and made the introductions.

"Everyone, this is Buffy. She's an old friend of mine from high school."

They smiled and nodded to her, knowing of her from the few stories that Spike told them.

"Buffy, this is Xander, Anya, Faith, Angel, Fred, Wesley, and Gunn," he finished, pointing out everyone.

She smiled as well and sat down in one of the available chairs. "It's nice to meet all of you."

Spike sat down beside her. "It turns out that Buffy's mother happens to be my next door neighbor. She's here visiting for a little while."

Faith grinned, remembering that Spike mentioned the blonde was adopted. "Well, isn't that a small world?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, I never expected to find William here."

They laughed at the use of his given name. Not knowing him as William, but knowing that he hated being called that.

Spike only smiled at her. "You want something to drink, love?"

"Just a diet coke, I'm not much of a drinker."

Spike nodded and got up to head over to the bar.

Buffy turned back to his friends to find that they were all staring at her curiously.

"So, you're the famous Buffy? We were starting to think that you were just a myth with the way Spike goes on about you, but you look very real to me," Gunn commented.

Angel leered at her. "Very real indeed, it looks like Spike might take a while at the bar. It's a pretty busy night and all, would you like to dance?"

Buffy didn't think that would be a very good idea, but didn't want to seem rude in front of his friends. "Sure, that sounds nice." She stood up and walked over with him to the dance floor.

Angel wrapped his arms around her tiny frame and danced slowly to the song that was playing.

Buffy was very uncomfortable, but moved as well as she could.

The song ended and a slower one began.

Angel felt someone tap his shoulder and turned to see Spike.

"Can I cut in?" he wondered, irritation in his voice.

Angel held his hands up in surrender and stepped away.

Spike grabbed his arm before he could leave. "Back off, Peaches. She's engaged," he practically growled in his ear, but not enough for Buffy to hear over the music.

Angel nodded reluctantly and headed back to the table.

Spike turned to Buffy and took her in his arms.

She sighed in relief at the more comfortable fit and placed her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry about him, pet. Angel has a habit of being a little too hands on."

Buffy shrugged. "It's okay, I like your friends. They seem like a fun group."

Spike agreed. "They have their moments," he claimed, continuing the dance. Spike loved the feel of her in his arms. It was like she was meant to be there, but he quickly banished those thoughts. She was engaged to be married and nothing he did could ever change that, no matter how much he wanted to.

* * *

"That's the girl you were so in love with?" Faith wondered when Spike came back to the table without Buffy, who decided to go to the restroom.

Spike let out a sigh. "I would appreciate you not saying that around her."

Faith raised her eyebrows. "What? She never knew how you felt?"

"No, she doesn't and I would like to keep it that way. She's getting married."

"Doesn't? Do you still have feelings for her?" Fred asked, finally speaking up. She was the shy, quiet type and would only say something if it really needed to be said.

Spike ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess the feelings never really went away."

Faith gave him a smirk. "So, have you told her about us?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Have I told her about the one time we slept together that meant nothing? No, I didn't think that was worth mentioning. I'm still trying to forget about it."

Faith placed her hand over her heart. "You wound me, Pratt. And here I was thinking that I rocked your world," she said teasingly.

Spike chuckled. "You did at that, pet, but you're like a sister to me. I was just really drunk and probably would have slept with anyone."

Gunn cleared his throat. "As stimulating as this is, I would rather not hear about your sexual experiences with my girlfriend. Could we talk about something else?"

Faith smiled and moved closer to him, planting a kiss on his cheek. "You know you're the only one I want, baby."

Gunn put his arm around her. "You better say that."

Wesley did the same with Fred, pressing a kiss into her hair.

Xander and Anya were probably off somewhere making out, while Angel was looking for his new flavor of the week.

Spike just remained where he was and waited for Buffy to return. He glanced around at all of the couples and felt saddened. It seemed like he was the only one that was single these days. Sure there was Harmony, but she was hardly anyone he could see having a future with. The bint drove him out of his bloody mind. Spike was determined to end things with her, but he would hold off on that until after Buffy went home. He wanted to at least feel like he wasn't the only one not in a relationship.

* * *

Buffy took another look in the bathroom mirror and sighed at her appearance, glancing down at her engagement ring. Being around William again was starting to make her doubt her recent choices. Riley was a great man, but there was something missing in their relationship. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but seeing William again was opening up her eyes a bit. He was her best friend and first real crush, even though he would never know that. She didn't realize just how much she missed him, until now. It was obvious they both moved on, but she couldn't stop thinking about the past. Buffy shook her thoughts away and stared at her reflection one more time, then made her way out of the restroom and back into the club. She put a smile on her face and headed over to William, hoping that this little trip would help her realize just what had been missing in her life. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Thanks for taking me out tonight, Will. I had a good time. It feels like it's been so long since I just relaxed and had some real fun."

Spike smiled. "I'm just glad that you enjoyed yourself. How long do you plan on staying here?" he suddenly asked.

Buffy shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I would like to get to know Joyce and her family better, and of course there's catching up with you. Now that I don't have to worry about classes, I guess there's no real hurry for me to get home."

"What about the wedding preparations? I'm sure you're excited to get back to that."

She thought about it. "I don't know. I suppose we have a lot to do, but Riley doesn't seem all that interested in the planning. I'm not looking forward to doing everything myself, and I hate to ask my parents for help."

Spike stopped their walk to look at her. "It's his wedding, too. Why wouldn't he want to help out?"

"Riley doesn't think that's his territory. He made it perfectly clear that he would be fine with whatever I decide to do."

The more Spike learned about her significant other, the more he didn't like. "You remember freshman year? You told me that you planned your wedding since you could talk. It was when we first became friends. I thought you were insane to already have all of that figured out, what song you wanted for the first dance, what dress you would be wearing, but now you seem to have a hard time of it. What happened to all of your plans?"

Buffy glanced away from him. "I grew up. I was just a stupid kid then, I didn't know anything about what planning a real wedding would be like. I had no idea it would be so exhausting, but I don't regret anything. I love Riley and I know he loves me. That's all I need to know."

Spike didn't seem so convinced, but decided not to say anything else about it. He just took her hand in his and gave it a firm squeeze. "For what it's worth, I think you'll be a beautiful bride."

She blushed. "Somehow I doubt that."

He pulled on her hand and got her to look up at him. "You still do that. Every time I paid you a compliment in the past, you could never accept it. Just take it with a smile and a nod, Buffy. I know what I'm talking about and trust me, you're beautiful. I've always thought so."

Buffy could tell how sincere he was and smiled. "Thanks, I've always thought you were beautiful, too."

Spike chuckled as her cheeks heated up, her embarrassment charming to him. "Don't worry, I know what you meant. Well, it's getting late. I should take you back now."

Buffy could only nod as she followed him to his car.

* * *

Spike spent the rest of the night in his room, browsing through a few photo albums. He smiled at a picture of him and Buffy that was taken a few months after they met. It was the first time he invited her over to his house. Spike was smitten the second he laid eyes on her, figuring that she would never see him as more than a friend. He had to manage four years of seeing her with different blokes that were completely opposite to him. Buffy always did have a thing for the tall, dark, mysterious types. He had a feeling that was exactly what she was going to marry, too. He didn't have to meet Riley to know that.

"William, are you all right? I knocked, but you didn't answer."

Spike glanced up at his mother, surprised that he didn't hear her knock. "I'm fine, just going down memory lane."

She smiled and entered the room. "You haven't looked through those in quite some time. Are you sure everything's okay?"

He nodded. "It was great talking with Buffy tonight. I never realized just how much I missed her."

Anne sat down on the edge of his bed, gazing at the pictures that had him so enraptured.

"This one was always my favorite. It was taken in our backyard, right after I turned the hose on her. You remember that, Mum? She was complaining about it being so hot out, so I wanted to help by cooling her off. God, she was so mad at me afterwards, but still smiled for the picture. She always did have a gorgeous smile."

Anne patted her son on the arm. "I know how hard this must be for you."

Spike rubbed his eyes, finally revealing what he kept inside all night. "How can she be getting married? I want to be happy for her, but it's killing me. I just know this bloke doesn't even appreciate her. He doesn't even want to participate with the wedding. If Buffy was going to be my wife, I would do whatever she wanted. I would do anything just to bring a smile to her face. I wasted all of this time, it's not bloody fair. It's not bloody fair that he gets to marry her. He doesn't deserve her, Mum. I know he doesn't. I tried so hard to put these feelings behind me, but seeing her again brought them all back out. How can I just let her go now?"

Anne took a deep breath, hoping that she was doing the right thing. "I think she's just as confused as you are, William. It might help both of you if she knew how you felt all these years. That girl loves you dearly."

He shook his head. "Maybe as a friend, but that's it."

"I suppose you'll never know, unless you talk to her."

Spike watched as his mother stood and made her way out of the room, wondering if there was any truth to her words.

* * *

Buffy clicked her phone shut with a sigh. That was the third time she tried calling Riley and continued to get his voicemail, figuring that he was probably out with his friends.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up at the angelic voice to see little Samantha standing in the doorway. "I was just trying to reach my boyfriend; I guess he's not around right now."

Sam moved into the room and jumped on the bed, making herself more comfortable. "Does he make you feel like a princess?"

Buffy smiled at the child. "Sometimes, why do you ask?"

She shrugged. "Daddy always makes Mommy feel like a princess. When I get big, I want someone to treat me like a princess."

Buffy lay down in the bed, looking over at her new sister. "I'm sure you will."

"Uncle Spike says that I'm his princess, but he's too old."

Buffy laughed. "You wanna hear a story?"

She nodded eagerly. "Is it about a princess?"

"You could say that, but you have to promise that you'll get right to bed when I'm done. It's too late for little girls to be up."

Sam nodded again and waited for her to continue.

Buffy got more comfortable as well and told of a story about a young girl that met her Prince Charming, but had to eventually let him go. Not knowing that she would find him again years later. If only a little too late, but she was determined for this story to have a happy ending.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Here's your glass of water, Mum. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Anne smiled and took the glass from him. "I'm all right, William. It's just a little cough. You don't have to stay in with me today. Go out with your friends, I'll be fine."

He shook his head. "I really think I should stay with you. Besides, I don't have any plans today."

"Knock knock, I come bearing some liquid goodness."

Spike turned at the appearance of Buffy in the doorway, holding a bowl in her hands.

She graced them with a smile. "Sorry to intrude like this, but the front door was open. Joyce thought you could use some of her special chicken noodle soup, for all that ails you."

Spike smiled as well, taking the bowl from her and placing it next to his mother's bed. He knew it likely wouldn't do anything to help her, but the gesture was sweet.

Anne reached out and grasped Buffy's hand. "You're such a dear girl. You make sure that man of yours treats you right."

Buffy blushed. "I'll be sure to do that."

Anne let her hand go and addressed both of them. "You two get going now, you have much catching up to do. I don't want you to waste the whole day by staying here with me."

Spike pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "You rest now, Mum. I'll be back soon," he whispered, then left the room with Buffy.

She didn't speak up, until they were out of the house. "She doesn't just have a cold, does she?"

Spike shook his head, not sure what else to say.

"What's wrong with her?" Buffy asked, suddenly very worried.

Spike took in a deep breath before answering. "She was diagnosed with Cancer last year. I've been by her side through everything. Took her to all of her doctor's appointments, but there's not much more they can do for her."

Buffy placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Will. I wish there was something I could do."

He gave a small smile. "You being here right now is more than I could ever ask for."

Buffy felt touched and took his hand in hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I wish we didn't drift apart. I really missed you."

Spike brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I really missed you, too."

* * *

"So, have you talked to the fiancé since you've been here?"

Buffy nodded, licking her ice cream cone. "I talked to him once after I arrived, but I haven't been able to reach him since then. He's probably busy."

It was hard for Spike to concentrate on her words, too fixated on the sight in front of him. He never knew that he could be jealous of an ice cream cone.

Buffy finally finished and threw her cone away, not realizing the affect it had on him. "I really like it here. It's quiet and peaceful, not like the craziness of LA. Give me the small town life any day," she said with a grin.

"Well, you could always move here," he replied, trying not to sound too eager.

Buffy actually gave it some consideration. "I doubt Riley would go for that. He has plans that involve us moving to Iowa, so I'll probably have more of a farmer life."

Spike raised his eyebrows. "I'm guessing you're not too thrilled about that."

She shook her head. "Really not, we're still talking about it. I just couldn't imagine being so far away from my family. I don't even think his family likes me all that much."

"How is that possible?" he wondered.

Buffy shrugged. "I have no idea, but I could just tell that his mother hates me. I'm sure it will take time for them to get used to me, but I'm going to marry Riley, whether they like me or not. They're just gonna have to deal. I can tell my friends and parents aren't all that fond of him, either. They just don't know him like I do."

Spike nodded and held back what he really wanted to say. That maybe Riley wasn't the right guy for her, but he didn't want to make her angry.

"Blondie Bear! What are you doing here with her? I thought we were going out tonight."

Spike groaned. "Bloody hell, someone up there really hates me," he mumbled. "For the last time, I never made any plans with you."

She pouted. "Well, that still doesn't explain why you're out on a date with another woman."

"It's not a date, Harmony. I told you, Buffy is an old friend of mine."

Harmony scrunched up her nose again at that name. "Whatever, just remember whose boyfriend you are, Spikey. I can forgive you this time, but I might not be so generous next time."

Spike was willing to do whatever he could to finally get rid of the irritating bint, but Buffy beat him to it.

"Come on, Spike. You can tell her the truth," she said, wrapping her arms around him and glaring at the blonde. "We're together now; he just didn't want to hurt your feelings. Isn't that right, baby?"

Spike was stunned by her actions, but quickly caught on to what she was doing. He grinned and turned to Harmony. "That's right, Harm. It's been over with us for a while now; I just didn't know how to tell you. Buffy's the only girl for me," he admitted, but pretended that it was just part of the act.

Harmony's jaw dropped. "I can't believe you're breaking up with me, and for someone like her? She's not even that pretty. We are so over, Spike. You're so going to miss me. When you realize that and come crawling back to me, you'll know what it's like to be dumped," she stated, then marched out of the ice cream shop.

Buffy watched her go in amusement, not feeling at all bad for their little deception. She didn't understand what William saw in her, but supposed she had no place to judge. It had been years since she last saw him and couldn't expect for him to be the same person that she went to high school with, they were both different now.

Spike stared at her in awe. He knew it was just an act, but suddenly couldn't take it anymore. The one woman that he had ever been in love with was with him again, and he was willing to do whatever he could to keep her. With that thought in mind, he grabbed her around the waist and crashed his lips to hers.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Buffy didn't know what to think when Spike started to kiss her. She was confused and it wasn't long before she found herself returning the kiss, with just as much passion. It was after what felt like forever that she finally came back to her senses.

"Wait, we have to stop," she said once her voice decided to work.

Spike was breathing heavily when he pulled away, shock written on his features about what he just did. He never planned to kiss her, but found that it was hard to stay in control around Buffy. "Sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

She agreed. "Where did it come from?"

He wanted to tell her that he always dreamt about kissing her, that he was in love with her from the first moment he saw her, but none of that would come out. "I don't know. I think I just got a little too caught up in the act."

It was her turn to feel ashamed. "I'm sorry, maybe that wasn't such a good idea."

Spike shook his head. "No, it was bloody brilliant. If it finally gets that bint out of my life, then it was all worth it. I just wouldn't want things to be awkward between us."

"I don't want that, either. We'll just forget that it happened, everyone is allowed to make mistakes."

Spike nodded, even though he couldn't forget what just took place. Kissing her was the best feeling that he had in a long time. He would never forget it.

* * *

Buffy didn't get any sleep later that night, too busy thinking about the kiss they shared. She didn't know why it was so hard to get out of her head. It wasn't like she had never kissed a man before, but they never felt like that. Buffy felt so much love and passion from one kiss with William than she ever felt with Riley. It was that thought which worried her and kept her up all night. She found it hard to be around William now and not want a repeat performance, but knew what she had to do. It was time to go home.

* * *

She felt worried when William never showed up the next day. Buffy was starting to wonder if he was avoiding her, but she didn't want to leave without telling him goodbye. A knock sounded at her door, then opened to reveal Joyce. She was concerned about the look of distress on the older woman's face.

"I just got a phone call from Spike. Anne passed away in her sleep last night."

Buffy gasped and brought her hand to her mouth, removing it after a moment. "Where is he?"

"He's still over at the house; she was taken away this morning. He's been dealing with all of the preparations for her, the poor boy is devastated. I don't remember ever hearing him sound so lost. I think he could really use a friend right now."

Buffy nodded and felt tears sting her eyes, but tried to hold them in. She would do whatever she could for him, going home would have to wait.

* * *

The front door of his house was open, so Buffy let herself in. It was too quiet for her liking, she half expected Anne to be there to greet her. She slowly made her way to William's room, taking in the sight of him sitting on the edge of his bed. Joyce was right, he looked absolutely devastated. She figured no words were needed just yet and moved over to the bed, sitting down next to him. Buffy reached out and placed her hand over his, giving it a tight squeeze.

Spike squeezed her hand back, but just having her there was making it harder for him not to let the tears out. He buried his face in his hands and let the sobs take over his body.

Buffy guided his head to her shoulder, soothingly running her fingers through his hair. He was like that for a few seconds before she finally decided to speak. "I'm so sorry, Will. I wish I could tell you that everything would be okay."

He shook his head, pulling away to look up at her. "I knew it was coming, but I just don't know what to do without her. It's been just the two of us for so long. I'm not ready for her not to be here."

"Your mother was a great woman. I just wish there was more I could do for you, but I'm not good with words."

Spike wiped his eyes. "You're doing fine, Buffy. It means everything that you're here. Mum loved you like her own daughter, she told me as much."

Buffy was finding it hard to stop her tears now. She moved closer and planted a kiss on his cheek, then his forehead.

Spike shut his eyes and leaned into her touch. He opened them again and stared right at her. Nothing else mattered in that moment. He saw her going for his cheek again, but turned his head and caused her to get his mouth instead.

Buffy gasped in surprise, but returned the kiss.

Spike slipped his tongue into her mouth, pulling away when breathing became an issue. "I need you, Buffy," he whispered.

She kissed him again, grabbing the bottom of his shirt and lifting it off of his body.

Spike helped her remove her clothing as well, wanting nothing between them.

Buffy lay down on his bed, pulling him down on top of her.

His jeans joined the pile of clothes on the floor as he positioned himself above her. Spike brushed the hair out of her face and slowly slid into her, finally feeling at home.

Buffy wrapped her arms around him, trailing her fingers down his back. She tried to keep up with his thrusts, giving him exactly what he needed. All of her doubts and fears were put on hold for this one moment.

Spike buried his face in her neck, crying out once he reached release. He knew they were rushing and that protection wasn't even used, but none of that seemed to matter. All he could see was her. He had a feeling that regrets would come once she realized what happened between them, but right now, everything was perfect. Spike knew that she was only with him because he was grieving, but that would have to be enough. It was more than he ever expected to get from her.

Buffy ran her fingers through his hair, pressing another kiss to his forehead. She knew that nothing would be the same again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Buffy was confused when she woke up, until she looked next to her and saw Spike still asleep. It was then that the previous day came back to her.

"Oh god," she gasped, quickly getting out of bed and searching for her clothes on the floor. She finished getting dressed, just as he started to wake up.

"Buffy, what are you doing?"

She shook her head. "I have to get back. I didn't even call to say I would be out all night."

He sat up, running his fingers through his tousled hair. "Joyce knows you were over here. It's still early; you don't have to leave yet."

"I have to leave, Will. This…This was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened."

Spike threw the covers off of the bed, grabbing his jeans and putting them on. "So, is that it then? You just pretend that nothing happened? Well, I'm not about to forget this. Things changed with us last night, you can't deny that."

Buffy took a deep breath to try and calm herself. "You were upset; I just wanted to make you feel better. I wasn't thinking clearly, but this can't happen again. I'm engaged to be married, Spike. I cheated on my fiancé; there is nothing okay about that. I have to go." She was about to walk away, but he shot out of bed and stopped her.

"He's not good enough for you. I can feel it, Buffy. I don't have to meet the bloke to know that he's not the one you're meant to be with. We shared something special last night. You can deny it all you want, but things are different now. You can't go back from this."

Tears fell from her eyes, knowing that she was about to lose one of her best friends. "I'm sorry, I have to go home."

Spike nodded and figured there was no point arguing with her. "Fine, we'll talk later. This isn't over."

"No, you're not understanding me. I'm going back home to Los Angeles. I'll be taking the bus later tonight. That's where I belong, with my parents and the man I love. Getting to know Joyce and you again has been great, but my life is there."

Spike wouldn't believe that. "You don't belong with him. Please, just stay a little longer. We can talk about this. I just got you back; I can't let you go now. I love you, Buffy. I've always loved you. I know that you love me, too. You're just confused right now, but you can't tell me that he's willing to give you everything you deserve. He will never love you as much as I do," he finally admitted, pleading with her to stay.

Buffy cupped his cheek as more tears fell from her eyes at his declaration. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Goodbye, William," she whispered, then made her way out of his room and didn't look back.

Spike stood in the same spot and watched the love of his life walk away from him. He didn't think it was possible for anything to hurt worse than losing his mother.

* * *

"I wish you could stay longer."

Buffy nodded and gave Joyce a hug. "I wish I could, too, but I really should be getting back. Thank you so much for letting me stay with you."

Joyce pulled out of the embrace after a moment. "It was no trouble at all. I hope you'll keep in touch, and you always have a place here if you ever feel like visiting."

Buffy smiled. "I'll definitely take you up on that."

"You're leaving?" a small voice said.

Buffy turned to see both of her sisters standing behind her. "Yeah, but I promise I'll come see you guys again," she stated and wrapped her arms around Sam, then did the same with Dawn.

"It's cool to finally have an older sister."

Buffy stroked the girl's long hair. "It's just cool to finally have sisters. Being an only child is really not exciting."

Connor entered the kitchen, raising his eyebrows. "I don't have to hug, right? That's a girl thing."

Buffy wouldn't accept that and pulled the boy into her arms. "I can tell you're going to be lots of fun when you get older."

He shrugged and pulled away. "I'm a teenager; we're not much for mushy displays."

"What would you call making out with your girlfriend? Talk about disgusting," Dawn said with distaste.

Connor scowled. "You're not supposed to be watching us."

Dawn shrugged this time. "There was nothing good on TV."

Buffy smiled at the banter between brother and sister. She would really miss them.

"All ready to go?" Hank asked once he walked into the kitchen, putting the argument on hold.

Buffy nodded and after giving Joyce one more hug, left the house with Hank. She got into his car and gazed out the window when he pulled out of the driveway. She glanced up at Spike's house to see that all of his lights were off. She hated having to end things with him the way she did, but didn't see any other options. Buffy just didn't feel the same way about him, or so she told herself. It was better this way, no matter how much it pained her to leave him.

* * *

The next week went by very slowly for Spike. He dealt with his mother's funeral and lots of drinking. It would have meant a lot if Buffy could have been at the funeral, but she just wanted to get away from him. Spike couldn't believe how much he screwed things up with her, so settled on drinking his troubles away. It managed to work, for a little while at least.

"Hey, baby, you look a little sad. Anything I can help with?"

Spike turned unfocused eyes on the woman that was sitting in the stool next to him. "Yeah, you can make this huge ache in my heart disappear."

She licked her lips. "I don't know about that, but you look like you could use some fun. Why don't we go back to my place? I can show you a real good time."

Spike was desperate and drunk enough to take her up on her offer, but a new voice stopped him.

"Please, do those lines actually work? Take a hike, bitch. This one is mine," Faith claimed.

The woman held up her hands and walked away, not wanting any trouble.

Faith then sat down in the stool that she was in, needing to knock some sense into her heartbroken friend. "Dude, are you completely out of it? That was a whore you were about to go home with."

Spike shrugged, taking another sip of his Bourbon. "Nothing matters anymore."

"Okay, that does it. I can't take much more of this depressed shit. Come on, we're getting out of here." She grabbed his arm, pulling him off of the stool and away from the bar.

Spike yanked his arm out of her grasp once they got outside. "Sod off, this doesn't concern you."

"Don't pull that with me, Spike. If Buffy leaving is making you so miserable, then why don't you go after her? It would be better than coming here to drink yourself into a coma."

He shook his head. "She made it clear of where we stand. She's engaged to a sodding wanker, nothing I do can change that. I would just be making a fool of myself if I went after her."

"I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but maybe love is worth it. If you don't believe that she's with the right guy, then prove it to her. Girls love romantic shit like that. If I find you in this hellhole one more time, I'll be forced to kick your ass. Go after her, Spike. We both know that's what you wanna do. If it still doesn't work out, then at least you tried. Just sitting around feeling sorry for yourself isn't doing any good."

Spike knew that she was right, even if Buffy turned him down again. He was going crazy without her. "Did I ever say how much I love you?"

Faith waved her hand in the air. "You can say it all you want. Doesn't mean you're getting into my pants, buddy. That's reserved for only one man now," she said teasingly.

Spike smiled, the first real one since Buffy walked out of his life. "Charlie's one lucky man. Thanks for the chat, Faith. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get out of here. I have a girl to see."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Are you all right? You've been kind of distant since you came back home."

Buffy nodded when she was brought out of her reverie. "Sorry, Riley. I guess I just have a lot on my mind, but it's nothing for you to worry about."

Riley hoped to take her mind off of the family that she just discovered. He was the only family she really needed, and soon his family would be hers as well. "I have to get to work, babe. I'll see you later tonight."

Buffy nodded again when Riley pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, forcing a smile on her face. She quickly wiped it off once he left, not knowing why she was so distracted. For some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about William. "I wonder what he's doing right now," she said to herself, praying that he was okay.

* * *

Spike parked his car in front of Buffy's house, taking a deep breath before getting out. He knocked on the front door, smiling when an older woman opened it.

"William, is that you?"

He nodded. "It's nice to see you again, Jenny."

She returned his smile and gave him a hug, releasing him after a few seconds. "Buffy told us that she saw you in Sunnydale. You have really grown up. Come on in, I know Rupert would love to see you."

Spike stepped into the house and looked around, following Jenny into the living room.

Giles stood up once they entered, shock written on his features. "William? Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" he said, shaking the younger man's hand.

"It's good to see you again, sir."

Giles waved his hand in the air. "Still being formal, I see. I'm glad that not a lot has changed. I suppose you're here to visit Buffy." It wasn't a question.

All he did was nod.

"Buffy's with Riley right now, but she should be back soon," Jenny explained.

Spike cringed at the thought of her out with him, but didn't understand why. He knew she was engaged. He didn't figure that she would dump the wanker because of what happened between them. A part of him was really hoping, though. The front door opening and closing put what else he would have said on hold.

"Hey, whose car is outside? It looks really familiar." Her voice trailed off at the sight of Spike standing with her parents. "Oh, never mind then."

Jenny smiled, not noticing the tension between the two young people. "William stopped by to visit you; we'll just leave you to your privacy. Let's go, Rupert."

Giles nodded and let his wife lead him away.

Buffy crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Can't a bloke just visit an old friend without having some ulterior motive?"

Buffy raised her eyebrows, clearly not believing him.

"Okay, should have known you would see through that. You know why I'm here, Buffy."

She let out a sigh. "Will, you really shouldn't be here. What I said to you before I left isn't going to change; you're just going to make things worse. I'm with Riley. Maybe if you got to know him, you would see that he's not such a bad guy. Why don't you come out with us tonight? You might feel better if you met him."

Spike wasn't easily convinced, but figured it was a chance to spend some time with her. "Fine, I'll meet him, but that doesn't mean we're going to be best mates or anything."

Buffy nodded, relieved that he decided to come with her. "That's good enough for me."

* * *

Spike followed Buffy into the crowded club, noticing immediately how different it was from the Bronze. She waved to someone that he assumed was Riley and let her pull him in the other man's direction.

"Hey, this is William. I hope you don't mind him joining us, he just decided to visit me for a few days."

Riley stood up and towered over him, putting a smile on his face. "No trouble at all. It's nice to finally meet you, William."

Spike nodded. "Likewise, but I go by Spike now. Buffy just hasn't picked up on that yet."

She rolled her eyes and pulled him down in one of the available seats, introducing him to everyone else. "This is Willow, her girlfriend Tara, Oz, Graham, and Cordelia."

He smiled at what seemed to be a friendly group. "It's nice to meet all of you."

They all nodded and tried to talk over the loud music.

Spike glanced at Buffy to notice that Riley was sitting a little too close to her. He saw red when the big oaf placed his hand on her thigh. He wondered if he would be able to stand seeing the two of them together, but was willing to make the best of it.

Tara whispered in her girlfriend's ear.

Willow nodded and gazed at Buffy and Spike, then turned back to Tara. "I see it, too."

The others got up to dance a moment later, leaving Spike alone with Willow and Tara.

Spike watched in envy as Buffy danced with Riley, wishing more than anything that it was him instead. He sighed and focused back on the two women that were still at the table, surprised to see them staring at him so intently. "Do I have something on my face?"

Willow shook her head. "You love her, don't you?"

His jaw nearly dropped. "What? Is that just obvious to everyone now?"

"We can see your aura. It's very beautiful," Tara responded shyly.

Spike raised his eyebrows. "Right, of course."

Willow leaned in closer to him. "Have you told her how you feel?"

He nodded, not wanting to relive that conversation. "She doesn't want anything to do with me, not in a romantic way. She's too in love with Cardboard over there."

"I don't think that's true. We believe that Buffy is only with Riley because she thinks he's safe. I don't think she really loves him; you coming back into her life completely took her by surprise. She's been distracted all week and we're pretty sure it's because of you."

Spike was definitely intrigued now. "Has she said anything to you?"

Willow took in a breath before continuing. "No, but she doesn't have to. Buffy would kill us if she knew we talked to you about this, but I have to tell someone that would listen. We don't think Riley is being faithful to Buffy. I don't know anything for sure, but I saw him the other day with another woman. They looked really close."

Spike clenched his fists under the table. "Did you say anything about that to her?"

Tara spoke up now. "We…We don't think she would believe us."

Willow agreed. "She's so convinced that he's decent, I doubt she would believe anything negative about him. She would have to see it for herself, but if Riley is involved with another woman, he's been pretty good about hiding it. I wish I knew for sure that he was cheating on her, but I don't have any real proof."

Spike glanced back out at the dance floor. He grinned when a young, dark haired girl bounded over to the dancing couple. She did not seem happy. "I think we might just get our answer."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"What the hell is going on?"

Riley pulled away from Buffy, a guilty expression on his face. "Sandy, what are you doing here?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I came out with a few friends; saw you dancing pretty intimately with her. Who the hell is this?"

Buffy was wondering the same thing.

Riley took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't get out of this one. "This is Buffy, my fiancée."

Sandy's jaw practically dropped at that. "You're engaged? I can't believe this. I made sure that you were single before I got involved with you. I never even saw a ring. You are such a bastard," with that said, she slapped him across the face and stomped away.

Riley touched his stinging cheek, figuring that could have gone worse. He turned to see the shock and hurt on Buffy's face and knew that it was far from being over. "Sweetheart, I can explain."

Buffy held her hand up, letting him know that she would be doing the talking first. "How long has this been going on, Riley?"

He shut his eyes tight, opening them again a moment later. "It's been about three months, but I swear, she didn't mean anything to me. You're the one I want to marry, Buffy. She was just a moment of weakness. I panicked about settling down and just wanted a fling. It was only supposed to be one time, but she kept coming back and wouldn't take the hint. I'm so sorry, baby. I was going to end things with her; you're the only one I want."

Buffy couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was finding it hard to keep the tears back, but felt warmth when someone wrapped their arms around her and instantly knew it was Spike.

"You better get out of here, pillock."

Riley ignored him and focused on Buffy. "We've been together for two years. It would be stupid to let something as little as this ruin what we have."

Buffy shook her head, the tears streaming down her face. She then took her ring off and threw it at him. "We're done, Riley. I don't ever want to see you again."

He moved closer to try and reason with her, but was held back by a hand against his chest.

"It would be best for your health if you stayed away from her," Spike spat, taking Buffy's hand and leading her out of the club.

* * *

"I can't believe he could do this to me. He was with her for three months and I never knew. How could I be so stupid?"

Spike stayed silent and let her rant, knowing that she needed it.

"How many times have I fallen for his lies? All this time I was thinking that I found the perfect guy, someone that would always be there for me. He was probably jumping for joy when I left for Sunnydale, even though he pretended that he didn't want me to go. He probably couldn't wait for me to leave, so he could be alone with her and not have me show up to get in the way. Go ahead and say it, Will. Say I told you so, I know you want to. You warned me about him and I wouldn't listen. You hadn't even met him and you still knew that he wasn't right for me. So go ahead, just say it," she finished.

He shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "I don't have to say it. Believe me, a part of me wished I was wrong. All I cared about was your happiness, even if it wasn't with me. I hoped that I was wrong about him. I don't like that you're hurting."

She pulled away, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you, for leaving the way I did just to come back to that idiot. I should have stayed in Sunnydale. I should have been there for you. What we had, it meant so much to me. I felt more with you than I ever did with Riley. I guess that should have told me something, but I was too stubborn to listen. I just don't understand how you don't hate me right now. You should hate me."

Spike cupped her face, lightly stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I could never hate you, Buffy. I love you. I have for as long as I can remember."

Buffy didn't think it was possible to shed anymore tears that night, but she was wrong. "You shouldn't say that. I don't deserve your love."

He smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "I'll be the judge of that. Come on, let's get you home. We can talk later."

Buffy nodded and let him place an arm around her shoulders, heading to his car. She just wanted a nice shower and some sleep, everything else could wait for morning.

* * *

Spike couldn't sleep. He spent the last few hours trying to doze off, but his worry over Buffy prevented him. He was staying in the guestroom across from hers, and it was driving him crazy. He was broken out of his musings by the door opening, only to see Buffy standing there.

She gave him a shy smile, closing the door behind her. "Sorry, I couldn't sleep. I guess you're having the same problem."

Spike nodded and sat up. "Yeah, I was too busy thinking about you. Come over here, love."

Buffy took that as her invitation and walked over to the bed, sitting down beside him. She let out a sigh when he wrapped an arm around her. "I don't know how I'm going to tell my parents that the wedding is off."

Spike glanced down at her. "Do you think they'll be upset?"

"Honestly? I think they'll be thrilled. I think everyone will. No one was really all that happy about me being engaged to Riley. Again, that should have told me something. If my own family and friends didn't even like him, then I don't know how this could have lasted. Maybe it's a good thing that I found out now, before I walked down the aisle. That would have been really embarrassing."

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be there when you tell them, but now I think we really need to get some kip. We can worry about all of that later, okay?"

Buffy agreed and snuggled up closer to his side, resting her head against his chest.

It didn't take them long to drift off after that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry to hear that."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You could at least try to hide the smile, Mom. I know you never liked Riley."

Jenny put her arm around Buffy. "I may have never thought he was right for you, but I am sorry this happened. I never wanted you to get hurt."

"I agree with your mother. I have an urge to throttle that boy if I ever see him again," Giles commented.

Buffy smiled at her parents. "Thanks, I might just let you. I'll be okay, it just wasn't meant to be." She then turned to Spike and took his hand in hers. "Let's go for a walk."

He nodded and let her lead him out of the house.

* * *

"I guess that could have gone worse."

Spike agreed. "Are you really okay?"

Buffy thought about the question. "I think so. I know I should probably feel more upset, but I just can't. I think a part of me always knew this wouldn't work out. I was just waiting for an excuse to get out of it. Does that make me horrible?"

Spike shook his head. "No, that just makes you human." He squeezed her hand, realizing that he was still holding it. "You're an amazing woman, Buffy. I've always thought so. If that ponce couldn't see it, then he's a bloody idiot."

She stopped their walk to look at him. "You always did know the right thing to say. I just wish we didn't lose all of those years."

"We're making up for them now. There's nothing left for me in Sunnydale anymore. My mum was all I really had. I felt that I needed to stay and take care of her, but now it's time to let go. I was thinking about moving back here."

Her eyes widened. "Why would you do that?"

He shrugged. "Because this is where you are, and I never realized how much I missed this place. I know it's still really soon. You just ended a relationship with a man that you've been with for two years, but I'm not about to give up. I came here for a reason, Buffy. It didn't matter to me that you were engaged at the time, all that mattered was you. I want to be with you, I know that more than anything. I'm willing to give you all the time you need until you realize that you might want me, too. I don't expect that to happen yet. I just wanted you to know how I feel."

Buffy was stunned by his declaration, not knowing he felt that strongly for her. One thing was for sure, she definitely didn't intend to take too long with her decision. She caressed his cheek, then softly pressed her lips to his.

Spike was taken by surprise, but soon found himself returning the kiss. He pulled away a moment later, resting his forehead against hers and trying to get his breathing under control.

"So, is this how it is?"

They both turned at the new voice, only to see Riley standing there.

Buffy didn't feel at all guilty for what she just shared with Spike, glaring at her ex. "What do you want?"

Riley flinched at her tone, but got right to the point. "I wanted to talk some sense into you, but now it all becomes clear. It looks like I wasn't the only one not being faithful in this relationship. Did you screw him in Sunnydale? I should have known he was the reason you decided to stay there longer."

Buffy had about enough. "You know what? I did sleep with Spike, but I felt so guilty afterwards and came back to you. I realize that was a huge mistake. I told you that we're over, Riley. I gave you back the ring and I don't want anything else to do with you. It was obvious that your heart was never really into this relationship. I just wish I could have found that out sooner, so then I wouldn't have hurt one of my best friends. I don't even know why you proposed to me in the first place, but I don't care. We're going now," she finished, pulling Spike's arm.

"You're not even worth it, anyway. Don't come crying to me when he decides to leave you, too!"

Buffy ignored him as they kept walking, not even bothering to look back to see if he was still there.

Spike was quiet the whole way back to the house.

Buffy couldn't take much more of the silent treatment. "All right, what's wrong?"

He pouted. "You should have let me hit him."

Buffy laughed. "If he bothers me again, then I give you permission to hit him. I'm just hoping that's the last I see of him. I'm ready to move on." She grabbed Spike by his jacket and smashed her lips to his in a more passionate kiss, letting him go after a few seconds.

Spike had pure lust and awe written all over his features, but had to be sure about something first. "Am I just the rebound?"

Her expression softened. "No, you're a lot more than that. I don't want to say it's love. At least not yet, but I do want to be with you. I think we could be great together. I used to have a crush on you in school; I just never figured that anything would come of it."

Spike's jaw dropped. "You used to have a crush on me? Are you bloody kidding? We could have gotten together a lot sooner. I never said anything because I thought I would scare you away. This is just typical…"

Buffy cut him off with another kiss.

* * *

After spending last night with Spike in the guestroom, it didn't feel right for Buffy to stay in her room. She found herself lying with him later that night, her head against his chest.

Spike was busy running his fingers through her hair, feeling content for the first real time in his life. That was until Buffy broke the silence.

"I don't want you to move here."

Spike was confused as he gazed down at her. "Why not? Are you having second thoughts about us?"

She shook her head. "No, of course not. I've thought a lot about this the last few hours, and I think I would rather move to Sunnydale."

That was the last thing he expected to hear. "Are you sure about that?"

Buffy nodded. "I loved it there. Yeah, I would miss my parents and friends, but I know they would be accepting of my choice. And I could get to know my new family more, not to mention you. I can't have you sell your mother's house, Will. I know you told me that you could, but I don't believe that. It means too much to you. So, I think you should stay. I can move into the house with you, help you keep up with the payments. I would have to get a job, but I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard. I'll take anything over living in Iowa with Riley. I can't believe I was even considering that."

Spike stared at her in admiration. "God, I love you."

She felt her cheeks heat up, looking away from his gaze.

"Hey, I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. I don't expect for you to say it back yet. I know you're not ready, but I can't stop myself from telling you how I feel."

Buffy took a deep breath and met his eyes again. "I don't want you to stop. I love hearing those words, William. You can feel free to say them whenever you want. I guess it just takes some getting used to."

He smiled and pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head. "Let's get some rest, love. We have more news to tell everyone tomorrow."

Buffy made herself more comfortable beside him and soon dozed off to a peaceful sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"It feels so weird to be leaving this place."

Spike wrapped his arms around her. "Not having second thoughts, are you?"

Buffy shook her head, staring at her now empty room. A mattress the only thing left inside. "I grew up here, so it'll take some getting used to. I'm definitely ready to move on, though. I was just expecting for my parents to be a little more upset. My mom was practically in tears just from me going to Sunnydale for a few days."

"I'm sure they're upset, pet. They probably just didn't want to show it in front of you."

She nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right. Okay, I'm ready to have some fun on my last night here. Let's get me drunk."

Spike laughed and ushered her down the stairs. "You know you can't handle your liquor."

Buffy pouted. "Spoil my fun."

* * *

"Give me another one."

The bartender rolled his eyes at the obvious drunk man, but did as he was told. "Are you sure you haven't had enough, buddy?"

Riley glared at him, swallowing his shot of Tequila. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, slamming the glass down. "Fill it up again, Jake."

He sighed and did just that. "Women problems?"

"What makes you say that?"

Jake smiled. "It's always about a woman."

Riley drank down another shot, his blurred vision not even enough to stop him. "Well, this isn't over yet. I'll make her see that we're meant to be together. That bleached freak won't be an issue for much longer. I don't even know what she sees in him."

Jake pretended that he was listening, then went to assist a few other customers.

Riley turned away from the bar to look out at the dance floor. His eyes widened at the sight of Buffy moving provocatively with that loser. He had enough and headed in their direction. This ended now.

* * *

Buffy laughed when Spike whispered naughty things into her ear, holding her close as they both moved to the music.

"You are truly evil."

He grinned. "What can I tell you, baby? I've always been bad."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure you have. I've seen you in high school, remember?"

Spike groaned. "You don't have to remind me of what an utter ponce I was. That's all behind me now."

"You were so not a ponce, whatever that is. I thought you were cute."

Spike blushed in response this time. "Not bloody cute," he mumbled.

Buffy smiled as he proved her point, but didn't get a chance to reply as Spike was roughly pulled away from her. She looked up to see the angry face of Riley Finn. "What the hell are you doing?"

Riley scowled at her. "I'm showing you who the real man is here. I can't believe you're choosing this freak over me. No one will ever love you as much as I do, Buffy. You're making a big mistake."

"Are you being serious right now? You're drunk, Riley. I'm not about to get into this with you. Just go home before you make an even bigger ass out of yourself."

Spike stood beside Buffy. "Yeah, be a good little farm boy and piss off. She's not your girl anymore."

Riley saw red and without giving much thought to his actions, punched Spike right in the face.

"Bloody hell!" he cursed, holding his nose.

Riley wasn't finished and shoved Spike back, punching and kicking at him.

When the shock wore off, Spike was able to give back just as good. He dodged Riley's fist and landed a punch in the other man's gut.

A crowd formed around them, cheering them on.

Buffy couldn't take anymore. "Stop it, the both of you! Leave him alone, Riley! You're acting like children!" she yelled, grabbing Riley around the neck and trying to pull him off of her boyfriend.

Riley was too lost in his rage to notice what was going on. He turned around with a start and hit Buffy across the face.

She fell to the floor, holding her cheek and staring up at him in astonishment.

The club suddenly became very silent.

Riley saw what he did and felt shame go through him. "Buffy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. It was an accident."

Spike pushed him out of the way and went to his girlfriend's side, helping her up. He gave Riley a look that could kill. "You don't ever touch her again, you got that?"

Riley ignored him and moved closer to Buffy, only to have her take a step back.

She grasped Spike's hand in hers, looking at her former boyfriend for the last time. "I'm moving tomorrow, Riley. I don't ever want to see you again. You stay the hell away from us."

Riley let out a defeated sigh as he watched them walk away, knowing that there would be no getting her back now.

* * *

"Ow, that stings."

Spike looked apologetic. "Sorry, love, but it'll help with the bruising."

She nodded and took notice of his injuries. "What about you? My face isn't nearly as bad. He could have broken your nose."

Spike shrugged. "It's a good thing he hits like a nancy boy, then."

Buffy giggled, which hurt her sore cheek.

"What do you say we get some sleep? We have moving to do tomorrow."

Buffy agreed. "That sounds like a plan. I suddenly can't get away from here soon enough. Promise me that we'll have a good life together? That you'll never leave me, or turn into an idiot like Riley?"

Spike pressed his lips to her forehead. "I promise, love. You're stuck with me forever."

She smiled. "I think I can handle that."

Spike tickled her sides, causing her to let out more giggles. "You think? There's no thinking about it."

Buffy pushed his hands away. "Okay, I know I can handle that." Her expression then turned serious. "I love you, William."

He felt tears prick his eyes at those words. "I love you, too."

* * *

Jenny smiled to her husband after overhearing the last part of their conversation.

"She's going to be just fine," Giles commented.

Jenny nodded. "I know she is, but she'll always be my little girl. It's hard to let her go."

Giles rubbed his wife's shoulders in comfort. "We'll always be here for Buffy if she needs us, but we have to let her grow up. She's a young woman now, with a man that thinks the world of her. She'll be in good hands. William won't let anything happen to her."

Jenny watched as her daughter and future son-in-law entered her room together, shutting the door behind them. She took her husband's hand in hers, gazing into his eyes. "Let's go to bed, Rupert."

He smiled and gave her hand a light squeeze, leading her into their bedroom and closing the door.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Honey, I'm home."

Buffy came out of the bedroom. "Don't you get tired of saying that?"

Spike smiled. "No, mainly because I know how much you hate it."

She smiled as well and placed a kiss on his cheek. "How was work?"

He shrugged. "Same as always, I never knew teaching could be so exhausting."

"Yes, but you love it. And let's face it; you're great when it comes to kids."

Spike wrapped his arms around her bulging belly. It would only be three more months until he was a father, and he could hardly wait. "I guess it's good practice for when the little one shows up."

The front door suddenly burst open and in bounded Dawn and Sam. "Hey, Uncle Spike," they called out, making themselves comfortable in front of the TV in the living room.

Spike let out a sigh. "Hey, girls," he responded back.

"This could also be good practice," Buffy told him.

He pouted. "I was hoping we would have some time alone."

"I know, but we promised Joyce that we would watch them today. It's only for a couple of hours. She deserves to have some alone time with Hank. Being responsible for three kids has to take a lot out of you."

Spike agreed. "We're only having the one, right?"

She laughed and shook her head. "With the way we go at it, that's probably not likely."

"I was watching that!"

"You always get to watch what you want, it's my turn."

"I'm telling Mommy!"

"You're such a baby."

Spike raised his eyebrows. "You're honestly telling me that you would want more than one?"

Buffy pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I really do."

He smiled, ignoring the bickering that was still going on in the other room. "I can live with that."

* * *

Spike entered their bedroom later that night, a smile on his face. It quickly faded when he saw the look of distress on Buffy's. 

"Love, what's wrong? Who were you talking to?"

Buffy glanced up at him, putting the phone down. "That was my mom. Riley was in a car accident, he didn't make it. She just thought I should know."

Spike sat down beside her on the bed, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm sorry about that, pet. Are you going to be okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I will be. Things weren't exactly very good when we parted. We haven't even talked in over a year, but I'm fine. It's not like I was in love with him. It's just always hard losing someone that you knew, someone that you shared so much with. If we actually did get married, I couldn't picture having this with him. I think he would have freaked when I told him I was pregnant, instead of being happy about it. Kids were never something he wanted; I honestly don't think our marriage would have lasted for very long. I don't have any regrets. Being here with you is the best decision that I've ever made."

Spike was pleased to hear that. "Let's get some rest, love. Both of my babies could use it right now," he said, patting her stomach affectionately.

Buffy lay down and pulled Spike with her, snuggling up against his side. "I love you," she whispered before sleep claimed her.

Spike gazed adoringly at his wife, never tired of hearing those words. "I love you, too."

* * *

"What are you doing?" 

Connor groaned at being caught, turning around to see Buffy standing behind him. "I wasn't doing anything."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "It looks to me like you were sneaking out of the house."

He sighed and sat down on the porch steps.

Buffy did the same, waiting for him to explain.

"I was going to meet Janice, but I'm grounded and knew Mom wouldn't let me."

She nodded. "Okay, then why can't you just wait until your punishment is over?"

Connor took a deep breath. "Because I really need to talk to her, I hardly ever get the chance at school. I need to break up with her. I won't be able to relax until I do. This whole punishment isn't even fair, anyway. I only missed curfew three times in the last year."

"Well, your mom just wants what's best for you. Why do you want to break up with Janice? I thought things were going well for you two."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "This isn't something I feel that I should be talking about with my sister, it's a little embarrassing."

She smiled and held her hands up. "Understandable, you want me to go get Spike?"

Connor shook his head. "No, it's fine. I don't mind talking to you. It's just that we've been seeing each other for six months now, and I think she's ready to have sex. I mean, she told me as much. I'm only sixteen; I don't think that's something you should rush into. I think you should at least be in love first. She's a great girl, but I don't really think I am. This is making me sound like a chick, isn't it? God, the guys will never let me live this down."

Buffy smiled and put her arm around him. "I actually think it sounds very smart. You shouldn't be pressured to do anything that you don't want to do. The right girl is out there. Once you find her, it will definitely be worth the wait. Trust me on that."

He smiled in return. "Thanks, I guess I can wait to talk to her later. I should get inside before Mom grounds me even longer. You're a cool sister, Buffy. I'm glad I got the chance to know you. I just pray that you're carrying a boy, we need more men around here."

Buffy laughed. "I'll see what I can do." She watched him head back into the house, realizing just how great it was to have siblings.

* * *

Spike looked up when Buffy walked into the house, confused by the expression on her face. 

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it."

She shook her head and sat next to him on the couch, planting a hard kiss on his mouth.

Spike was panting when she pulled away. "What was that for?"

Buffy ran her fingers over his chest. "I didn't think I needed a reason to kiss my husband. Are you busy right now?"

He was distracted by the movement of her fingers, but managed to respond. "No, I was just watching some telly, but I can turn it off."

She flashed him a bright smile. "Good, I'll meet you in the bedroom."

Spike watched her go, a smile of his own forming on his face. He quickly stood up and hurried after her, closing the bedroom door once he was inside.

Her laughter rang out through the walls.

They definitely wouldn't be getting any sleep that night.

**The End**

Well, I said this wasn't a very long story. I know it's probably not the best ending, but that's all I could come up with. I have another story that I'll be posting soon. Thanks for reading!


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